Blagojevich Goes Down

It's official by a 59-0 vote. Rod Blagojevich has been removed as Illinois governor. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn becomes Gov. Pat Quinn.

Blagojevich impeached

In news that I wish would just go away, Governor Blagojevich was impeached today. The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Governor Rod Blagojevich.

This is an unprecedented action by the Illinois legislature that sets up a Senate trial on whether Blagojevich should be thrown out for abuse of power, including allegations that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Impeachment required just 60 votes. The final result was 114-1.

Illinois legislators accused the two-term Democratic governor of letting down the people of Illinois by letting ego and ambition drive his decisions.

"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Rep. Jack D. Franks, a Democrat.

Obama Transition Report Finds ‘No Indication Of Inappropriate Discussions’ With Blagojegivich

Of course this will do nothing to shut down the rightwing whakos like Sean Hannerty. He will continue to bloviate away. Some in the corporate media, especially AP, and the rightwing have been speculating whether President-elect Obama or chief of staff-designate Rahm Emanuel were hiding their involvement in Illisnois Govenor Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal, with scant attention paid to any actual facts.

Yesterday, White House Counsel nominee Greg Craig released the report, for the Obama transition team, on their involvement with Blagojevich. They had been holding this report for a week, the release had been delayed “at the request of” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, but that didn't stop bloviating pundits from bellowing that Obama should have released it last week.

The report states that there is no indication of inappropriate discussions with Governor Blagojevich or anyone from his office about a ‘deal’ or a quid pro quo arrangement.

Other highlights:

– Barack Obama: Had “no contact or communication” about the Senate seat with
Blagojevich or his office and did talk to Axelrod and Emanuel about “other
qualified candidates. Obama never heard “that the Governor expected a personal
benefit” for the seat.

– Rahm Emanuel: “Had one or two telephone calls with Governor Blagojevich” and “about four telephone conversations with John Harris,” Chief of Staff to Blagojevich about other candidates but never discussed “a cabinet position, 501c(4), a private sector position for the Governor or any other personal benefit for the Governor.”

– David Axelrod: Had “no conversations with anyone outside the President-Elect’s immediate circle” about the seat, and nothing came up in any conversation about any “quid pro quo.”

– Valerie Jarret: Had “no contact or communication with Governor Blagojevich” or
anyone in his office about the seat.

You can read the full report here.

Obama: Aides 'did nothing inappropriate'

President-elect Barack Obama said Monday a review by his own lawyer shows he had no direct contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the appointment of a Senate replacement, and transition aides "did nothing inappropriate."

Obama said today he is prepared to make the review public, but decided to hold off because prosecutors asked for a delay and "I don't want to interfere with an ongoing investigation."
Controversy has swirled around the president-elect and his incoming White House chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, following Blagojevich's arrest last week on charges he schemed to trade Obama's Senate seat for personal gain.

Watch this NBC news clip:


Here is what Keith Olbermann said on his show today:

Obama Takes Questions on Blagojevich

In a press conference designed to focus on the appointment of Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Barack Obama was besieged almost entirely with questions about the role he and his staff played (or didn't play) in the Rod Blagojevich corruption scandal.

The President-elect gamely fielded three questions on the issue and addressed it in his opening remarks, saying (twice) that he was appalled and disappointed "by the revelations earlier this week." He declared that he "had no contact with the governor's office" and "did not speak to the governor" about the process of who should replace him as Senator. "That I know for certain," Obama said.

Pressed on several occasions to reveal the extent, if any, of his staff's contact with the Illinois Governor -- contact that likely took place, considering Obama's seat was under discussion -- the President-elect urged a bit of patience.

"I have asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the governor about his vacancy so that we can share them with you over the next few days. What I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any deal-making about my Senate seat ... That would be a violation of everything this campaign was about and that is not how we do business."

Watch it here:

LibertyAir Blog

Who Will Be The Next Junior Senator from Illinois?

This question is very much up in the air.

According to the Illinois constitution, the Lt. Governor is first in line to take over as Governor, "[i]f the Governor is unable to serve because of death, conviction on impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation or other disability." Should Blagojevich be subject to any of these conditions in the near future, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn would assume power and be responsible for appointing Obama’s successor. Lt. Gov. Quinn has said Blagojevich should step down.

Illinois Rep. Tim Hare (D) says the allegations are serious enough that Blagojevich should resign if they are true:

Today is a sad day for the state of Illinois. It is important that we let the justice system run its course and remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But if these allegations are even remotely true, they would represent a shameful breach of the public trust and be cause for the Governor’s immediate resignation.

This is very important because Blagojevich could name himself, and cause all types of issues.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois has called for a special election: "The General Assembly should enact a law as quickly as possible calling for a special election to fill the Senate vacancy of Barack Obama. No appointment by this Governor could produce a credible replacement," he said.

Illinois Governor Taken Into Federal Custody

I know I am late to the game on this story, but it has been a very busy day. If you have not heard the news, here is a quick update:

Federal authorities took Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and his chief of staff John Harris into custody this morning on federal corruption charges. Before the arrest, the Chicago Tribune had reported that a “three-year federal corruption investigation of pay-to-play politics in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration has expanded to include his impending selection of a new U.S. senator to succeed President-elect Barack Obama.” According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office:

A 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps during the last month conspiring to sell or trade Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife. At various times, in exchange for the Senate appointment, Blagojevich discussed obtaining:

– a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an
organization affiliated with labor unions;

– placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year;

– promises of campaign funds – including cash up front; and

– a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

Fitzgerald, who successfully prosecuted Scooter Libby, said in a statement that “the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering.” “I want to make money,” the affidavit quotes Blagojevich as saying in one conversation. The full 76-page two-count criminal complaint can be found here. FireDogLake has more.

What is ironic is that Blagojevich told reporters yesterday, "I don't believe there's any cloud that hangs over me. I think there's nothing but sunshine hanging over me."

The federal criminal complaint reports that Governor Blagojevich corruptly solicited and demanded "the firing of certain Chicago Tribune editorial members responsible for widely-circulated editorials critical" of him.

How does this affect Barack Obama?

Good Question, there will be those conservative wing-nuts who will try to tie Obama to Blagojevich. However news coming out is that there was a pretty big rift between the Obama campaign and Blagojevich. In a conversation with Harris on November 11, the charges state, Blagojevich said he knew that President-elect Obama wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them.” The complaint does not mention her name, but the description makes clear that Blagojevich is referring to Valerie Jarrett.

You can download a copy of the indictment HERE.